ALUMNI Q&A - Amanda Zahorak '17

Recognized as a rising local leader who is solving issues in our communities, Amanda Zahorak ’17 is a passionate voice for affordable housing access.Zahorak is currently the senior advocacy and communications manager for Habitat for Humanity DuPage and South Suburbs. It’s a role she could not have imagined when she began as a music education major at North Central — before making a key discovery about herself.

What experiences at North Central inspired you?

I took a marketing class with Dr. Donnavieve Smith, associate professor of marketing. She was so wonderful that I changed my major from music education to marketing. Dr. Smith encouraged me to enter an American Marketing Association contest, and I took a couple more of her classes.

I minored in writing and music, so I was sort of able to build my own degree, and I stayed involved with music — singing in the choir all four years and founding the a cappella group One Note Stand. I discovered that I enjoyed helping musicians find their voice by encouraging them to be their own person. I began to see that I have always been purpose driven. So, when I graduated, I told Dr. Smith that I wanted to eventually pursue an advanced degree and work

in the nonprofit space. Initially, I worked in advertising. Then, during the pandemic, I needed a reset. I applied and went back to school. Last May, I earned a master’s in public policy and public administration degree (MPPA) from Northwestern University.

What do you do today?

I work at the intersection of communication and public policy. At Habitat for Humanity, we focus on affordable home ownership, affordable home repair, and neighborhood reinvestment. We’re also a leader in the fight for housing justice. My role includes being state coordinator for Habitat on the Hill. I work at the federal level to make the case for affordable housing in Illinois. For example, last spring I traveled to Washington, D.C., and met with U.S. Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.), U.S. Rep. Delia Catalina Ramirez (D-Ill.) and staff for Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).

Recently, I also had the honor of being invited to the inaugural cohort for The Change Collective. Launched by President Obama, it’s a new, national leadership network for rising local leaders who are passionate about solving issues in their communities and combating social isolation, political polarization and civic disengagement.

What do you tell lawmakers and other leaders?

I tell them we have a lot of work to do. In DuPage County, nearly 44 percent of residents are spending more than 30

percent of their income on rent alone. In Naperville specifically, that number is 38 percent. That’s a lot of people who are rent-burdened and struggling to pay for necessities against the backdrop of a large community where the majority of residents own their homes.

I talk about increasing understanding of what affordable housing means. It’s about restoring someone’s basic needs. I often work with people who come out of public housing – hard workers, mostly mothers, who are looking to do right by their children and get their family to a place of success. I encourage everyone to consider housing issues and housing equity to be a top priority because it affects every facet of life and every outcome for a family.

Any advice for today’s students?

When you’re in college, it can be hard not knowing what’s next. But nothing is permanent, especially when you realize there’s so much life in front of you. My dad sacrificed to get me through school. He taught me a lot about just getting it done. During college, I worked at the bookstore and in a restaurant. I freelanced. I struggled at times. There were a lot of frustrating moments. But if you stay determined and have patience, you will figure it out.

Questions and responses were edited for clarity and space.